School districts on track with future implementation of new evaluation system

Though the new teacher-evaluation system won’t be implemented statewide until 2013-2014, most, if not all, school districts are staying on track with the necessary preparations.

The program itself was devised to provide New Jersey’s schools with effective education through data-driven feedback and more consistent evaluation methods.

To ensure success of this mandated reform, many districts have already participated in the evaluation pilot program in the last two years.

“It hasn’t been a rough transition and we’ve remained very thoughtful of the process,” said Barbara Morgan, spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Education. “We’re seeing everyone wanting to be very involved in it and it’s moving along smoothly.”

By the state’s deadlines, District Evaluation Advisory Committees were to be formed by each district by Oct. 31.

All school systems are to choose and adopt state-approved teacher and principal evaluation models to measure performance and practices by Dec. 31.

Districts need to have those models tested and refined by Jan. 31, 2013 and once they are in place, all teachers need to be trained accordingly by July 1, 2013 and all evaluators need to be trained by August 31, 2013.

According to East Greenwich’s Superintendent Joseph Conroy, his district has been trying to stay ahead of the curve and has already began training and has chosen a model.

“I think what’s important is getting everybody used to the model and familiarizing ourselves with it,” Conroy said. “We’ll continue to finish training our staff soon. Hopefully we’ll be prepped up and ready to go in Sept. 2013... Everybody realizes that we have to move forward.”

According to Paulsboro Superintendent Dr. Frank Scambia, his district hasn’t been a part of any pilot program, but is nearing a decision on a model.

“We are making plans at this point to decide which we’ll use. We’re almost there,” Scambia said Monday.

Though Scambia said they might not have switched evaluation methods if it wasn’t state-mandated, he said they’re prepared to do whatever is in the best interest of the students.

“This is a big jump and we’re looking at evaluations in a whole new light, but there’s a lot of good aspects,” Scambia said.

Though the new system is an unfunded mandate, the state’s Department of Education allocated $2.4 million to fund up to 20 additional pilot districts this year, in addition to the continued support for the first 10 districts that were funded in 2011.

Once the pilots are over, however, districts will be footing the bill, with or without the assistance of grants.

According to Scambia, the district received a grant, but still may have to pay about $25,000 out of pocket.

“But I think change, if you utilize it properly, is positive,” Scambia said. “We’re just working together to give our kids the best we can. Anything less is unacceptable.”